English Explanatory Dictionary

between

English dictionary entry

Meanings

prep
  1. In the position or interval that separates (two things), or intermediate in quantity or degree. (See Usage notes below.)
  2. Done together or reciprocally.
  3. Shared in confidence.
  4. In transit from (one to the other, or connecting places).
  5. Combined (by effort or ownership).
  6. One of (representing a choice).
  7. Taking together the combined effect of.
noun
  1. A kind of needle, shorter than a sharp, with a small rounded eye, used for making fine stitches on heavy fabrics.

Pronunciation

/bɪˈtwiːn/ /bəˈtwin/ /bɪˈtwin/ [bɪˈtʰwin] /biˈtwin/ en-us-between.ogg

Word forms

between betweene betwene b/w btwn btw betweens

Etymology

PIE word *dwóh₁ From Middle English betwene, from Old English betwēonum (“between, among”, dative plural, literally “by the two, near both”), from Proto-Germanic *bi- (“be-”) + *twīhnaz (“two each”), corresponding to be- + twain. Cognate with Scots between (“between”), Scots atween (“between”), Gothic 𐍄𐍅𐌴𐌹𐌷𐌽𐌰𐌹 (tweihnai, “two each”), Old English betweoh (“between”), Old English twinn (“double, twofold”). More at betwixt, twin. More distantly related to Ancient Greek διά (diá, “through, across, by, over”) whence English dia- (“through, across, between”). For the meaning development also compare with Mongolian хооронд (xoorond, “between”), connected with Mongolian хоёр (xojor, “two”).

Synonyms

atween atwix atwixt betwixt betwixte

Related words

betwixt among

Derived words

betweenane between a rock and a hard place between decks betweenhood betweenity between jobs between-maid betweenness between ourselves between Scylla and Charybdis between-seasons jacket between-step between-subjects between the devil and the deep blue sea between the ears between the hammer and the anvil between the jigs and the reels between the lines between the pegs between the pipes between the sheets between the sticks between-time between time between times between two stools betweenwhiles between wind and water between you and I between you and me between you and me and the bedpost between you and me and these four walls betwixt and between bit between one's teeth caught between two stools come between create daylight between oneself and someone drive a wedge between fall between the cracks fall between two stools few and far between get between go-between go between in between in-between in-between hop in between jobs in between times keep it between the ditches know the difference between one's ass and a hole in the ground know the difference between one's ass and one's elbow mean distance between failure nothing to choose between put daylight between oneself and someone read between the lines rose between two thorns stand between step between sympathy is between shit and syphilis
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